CES 2013

With so many mainstream companies getting into the soundbar biz, much of the action in that category seems to have shifted over to the CEDIA Expo. Still, CES 2013 did reveal a few new soundbar models. Some, like the Vizios shown above, blew away showgoers with their sound quality.

Let me be blunt. CES is not geared towards women, particularly smart, fashionable women. If you can overlook the overwhelming number of scantily-clad booth babes and showgirls, the products that are typically marketed to women are the usual “pink it and shrink it,” or they’re just bedazzled generic products. Who thinks of this crap? Women outspend men in consumer electronics, and someone is finally paying attention to that.

While everyone’s been showing off their Bluetooth docks (and I’ve certainly covered a number of them) the folks at iLuv were showing off something slightly cooler at the International CES this year. The MobiRock is a small wireless dock that features wireless charging for Qi-enabled devices. The MobiRock (iMM711) is currently compatible with the Nokia 920 and some HTC models. An adapter will be available for other devices in the near future, and there is a USB charging port for non-Qi devices.

Stratocaster guitars. Marshall amplifiers. These are the playthings of the gods. The gods of rock and roll, that is. For sure, some of the sweetest sounds this side of a Stradivarius violin have come from Marshall guitar amplifiers. And now, the classic look of the Marshall (if not the sound) can be yours for home playback.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show, America's biggest tech bash, kicked off tonight with CES Unveiled, an event that answers the question "How many journalists can one possibly pack into a convention center ballroom?" (Answer: a zillion.)

There's no question that OLEDs can produce eye-grabbing color as well as great blacks and off-axis performance. Like most displays at shows such as this, color is stretched and enhanced all out proportion. But it shur r purdy.